Railroad-crossing.



Patented Dec. l8, I900.

E SW S M A R WC D A 0 R H A R (Application filed Jan. 28, 18993 (No Model.)

PETERS co. Pnomurflou wan No. 664,|37. Patented Dec. [8, I900.-

I. L. EDWARDS.

RAILROAD CROSSING. (Application filed Jan. 28, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shoot 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFicE.

ISAAC L. EDWARDS, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,137, dated December 18, 1900.

Application filed January 23, 1899- Serial No. 703,705. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC L. EDWARDS, of Aurora, in the county of Kane, and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossings; and I do hereby declare that the follo wing is afull clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a railroadcrossing embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a cross-section thereof, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal section.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for filling the spaces between the rails of railroad-tracks where pedestrians or teams cross which will be strong and durable, but of economical construction, capable of con struction at the shops or away from the place of use, so as to requirea minimum of time to apply it to the desired place, capable of ready removal from one place to another, and adaptable to crossing-places whether they intersect the track at a right angle or obliquely; and to these ends said inventionconsists in the railroad-crossing having the construction substantially as hereinafter specified.

In the carrying of my invention into practice I employ in constructing the platform or floor part of the crossing a series of parallel bars or strips of metal A and A, which are secured to a pair of cross bars or beams B and B, a single bolt 0 being used to connect each barA to a bar B for a reason to appear hereinafter. The bars A and A are preferably of angle-iron, as are the bars B and B, and the upper edges of the vertically-arranged members of said bars A and A are in the same horizontal, plane as the tops of the track-rails between which the structure is laid. If desired, in the spaces between the vertical members of the bars A and A there can be a filling of wood or other material; but without such a filling the bars alone make an excellent walking-surface.

Attached to the inner side of each of the bars B and B is a bar B, one end of which is projected or extended downward and has an angular or L-shaped formation or foot 5, one portion of which rests upon the inner edge of the flange of the track-rail and the other projects down alongside of and below such flange and is provided with one or more perforations for the engagement of the hook-shaped end of a clamp-bolt D, that is passed beneath the rail to the opposite side thereof, and has a clip E upon it that fits over the opposite edge of the rail and is secured by a nut F on the bolt. Both of the feet I) engage the same rail, and for engaging the other rail similar feet 9 and g are provided on the ends of bars G and G, that have at one end a pivotal connection with the sides of the respective bars B and B by bolts H and H. For each of the feet 9 and g there is a clamp-bolt similar to the bolt D and a flange-engaging clip and a nut, as in the case of each of said bolts D. The two bars G and G are connected together, so as to be firmly held in parallelism, by two rods or bars I and I, each of which has its ends connected to the respective bars, a single bolt K, which attaches it to a horizontal lug or angle-iron L, being used at each end of the bar. Connecting or extending between the two feetb and g, that are at the same end of the crossing, is a rod or bar M, the con-v nection with the foot 9 being a simple pivotal one and the connection with the foot I) being a pivotal and sliding one, the bar being formed with a longitudinal slotm, through which a headed pin or bolt N, fastened to the side of the foot, passes. As the flooror platform has a hinged or pivotal connection with the bars G and G, it by being swung upward on such connection moves the feet b and b inward and toward the other feetg and g, and thus enables the feet to be readily moved past the rails in the placing of the structure in or removing it from position. The sliding connection between the feet b and b and the bar M is provided to enable the described swinging of the floor and movement of the feet.

By reason of the swinging bolt or screw connection between the bars A and A and the bars B and B and between the bars G and G and their connecting-rods I and I there can be such movement of parts that the angle of the bars A A relative to the cross-bars can be changed to suit the angle at which the track-rails run relative to the crossing.

It will be seen that the construction of my crossing-platform is such that it is complete irrespective of the track-rails, and hence can be constructed without special regard to or adaptation of the latter, so that it can be made at the shops, away from the place of intended use, and can be changed from place to place. The time required for applying or removing it is so little that it need occasion no interference with the movement of trains on the road.

Preferably when the structure is in position between the rails a securing bolt or pin N is passed through alining holes in adjoining bars B, B, and G, and the latter has a bracket-like arm or extension g at its side, which receives said bars B and B. Said bolt N, by thus pinning the said bars together, prevents the raising of the floor or platform. When it is desired to remove the structure from between the rails, the bolt or pin N and the clamps D and D are removed and the floor or platform part is swung upward on the pivot-bolts H and H. This causes the feet I) and b to be moved away from the rail they engage and the lifting of the ends of the bars G and G, with which the floor or platform is connected, and as the space between the two sets of feet I) and b and g and g is diminished to less than the space between the rails the entire structure can be readily removed.

As the platform or floor can be made of any desired width, it can be made to conform to any of the conditions existing in a railroadyard where frogs, switches, and crossovertracks abound, so that the entire yard can be provided with a suitable crossing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A crossing for railroads, comprising a platform or floor part, consisting of bars to extend parallel with the rails, and cross-bars to which the former bars are pivotally connected, and means for securing said platform part to the track-rails, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A railroad-crossing, comprising a platform or floor part, a frame therefor composed of cross-bars that are pivotally connected to each other on horizontal pivots, certain of which cross-bars have track-engaging portions to engage one track-rail and others have portions to engage other track-rails, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a railroad-crossing, the combination of bars to extend parallel with the track-rails, cross-bars to which the first-mentioned bars are pivotally connected, second cross-bars pivotally connected to the first-mentioned cross-bars,track-en gaging parts on each crossbar, and connections between the track-engaging parts of the diEerent cross-bars, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of December, 1898.

ISAAC L. EDWVARDS.

Witnesses:

E. T. PRINDLE, F. O. PRINDLE. 

